Picture hanger



Aug. 25, 1942.

c. w. DEUTER 2,294,076

PICTURE HANGER Filed Dec. 25, 1941 ('fi arles Mleu Zer Patented Aug. 25, 1942 6 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the class of supports and pertains particularly to improvements in hangers designed primarily for hanging or securing pictures on the wall.

The present invention has for its primary object to provide an improved picture hanger or support which provides a strong and reliable means of hanging a picture without exposing the hanger device to those viewing the picture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a picture hanging device which can be secured to a wall by the employment of only a single small securing device in the form of a screw-eye.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a picture hanger which is readily adjustable to take pictures of diiferent sizes within a prescribed range.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel, simple but strong endurable picture hanger which after being properly attached to the picture will maintain the picture suspended in such a manner that it will automatically seek a state of equilibrium and will return to such state if knocked or jarred from position.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it being understood, however, that the invention is not to be considered as limited by the specific illustration or description but that such illustration and description constitute a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the device embodying the present invention illustrating the application thereof.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation showing the device applied.

Figure 3 is a View showing details of the means for securing the device to a wall.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing the hanger device embodying the present invention comprises a relatively long strip or band of metal which is indicated generally by the numeral It and which has a portion of each end bent to extend at an angle from the main body portion which is indicated by the numeral II, the angularly extending portion which is at the top end of the strip when the device is in operative positio being indicated by the numeral l2 while the bottom angular portion is indicated by the numeral 13.

The top angle which extends forwardly from the mounted strip is preferably disposed at right angles to the portion l I while the lower angle I3 extends obliquely therefrom. The angled end l3 forms a supporting foot upon which the picture rests as will be hereinafter described and this angled portion or foot extends downwardly from the angle l2 which should assume a horizontal position when the strip is suspended on the wall.

The angle l2 has an aperture l4 therethrough and an aperture I5 is formed through the angle [3 and these apertures are alined longitudinally of the strip. Intermediate the angled portions the strip body portion II has a transversely extending slot l6 formed therethrough which is located at a predetermined distance from the angle l2 as, for example, if the metal strip I0 is initially approximately six inches long the holes It and 15 will be formed, before the angles are turned, at a suitable distance from the adjacent end of the strip so that the hole will come approximately in the center of the angle and the slot I6 is then located about an inch and a quarter below the top hole M.

This slot l6 of the strip is designed to have extended therethrough a screw-eye I! which is secured in the wall or other suitable supporting structure and the eye of this support is alined with the openings l4 and IS.

The numeral I8 generally designates an adjustable coupling rod or wire which is extended through the opening M of the top angle and through the screw-eye l6 as shown. The upper end of this rod has the right angularly extending arm I9 integral therewith and this arm at its outer end merges with a short finger 20 which extends downwardly when the rod is passed through the bracket opening i l and the screweye in the manner shown.

This finger 29 is designed to engage in the eye portion of a screw-eye 2! which is secured, in the back of the picture and cooperating with the screw-eye 2i and finger 20 is a pin or headless nail 22 which is secured in the lower edge of the picture frame and is designed to engage in the aperture l5 of the lower angle bracket [3.

In Figure 1 a picture frame is outlined and indicated by the reference character 23 and in mounting a picture the frame has the screw-eye 2| secured in the back thereof at the top and upon the vertical center of the frame while the pin 22 is secured in the lower edge of the frame upon the vertical center and the frame is then placed upon the foot angle l3 so that the pin 22 engages in the aperture [5. The rod I8 is then run through the upper aperture l6 and the eye l!, the strip l0 having, of course, previously had the screw-eye engaged in the slot 16, as illustrated. As the rod is moved downwardly the finger 20 is engaged through the screw-eye 2| and thus the frame will be supported in an outwardly inclined position with respect to the wall surface and due to the fact that the single supporting element I! is above the horizontal center and above the transverse center of the strip ll of the picture it will be seen that there will be a pendulum-like action which will cause the picture to assume a vertical position.

It will be readily understood if a larger or smaller picture is to be hung the only adjustment which is required is to shift the rod [8 upwardly or downwardly to the extent necessary for the engagement of the finger 20 in the screw-eye 2! which is secured in the back of the picture.

It will, of course, be apparent that the device may be made in various sizes and each size device will take a certain number of pictures of different sizes. For example a device in which the strip I0 is initially six inches in length has the rod [-8 aboutf'our and a half inches long and the arm of about two inches length and the parts of these sizes will handle a picture of anywhere from six to eleven inches in height.

What is claimed is:

1'. A picture hanging device comprising an elongated body designed to be secured vertically to a support, means forming part of saidbody at itsupper end forming a vertical guide, a rod freely extended and movable through said guide and having an angularly extending arm, means for attaching the free end of said arm to the :back of .a picture at its top, and means at the lower end of said body for engaging the lower edge of the picture for-the support of the latter.

2. A picture hanger comprising an elongated strip of material, means for attaching said strip adjacent one end to a vertical supporting surface whereby the strip hangs vertically, means {forming a vertical guide adjacent the upper end of the strip, a vertical rod extending through said guide, an arm carried by the rod and extending forwardly therefrom, means at the lower end of said strip forming a support foot upon which the picture rests, and means for attaching the forward end of said arm to the back of the picture at the top thereof.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which said last mentioned means comprises a screw-eye attached to the picture and a down turned finger carried at the outer end of said arm.

4. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which said guide comprises an apertured forwardly extending portion of the strip and the first mentioned means is in the form of a screw-eye having the eye portion alined with the aperture of the forwardly extending portion, and said rod being slidably adjustable through the alined aperture and eye.

5. A device as set forth in claim 2 in which said supporting foot constitutes a bent lower end portion of the strip, said bent portion extending forwardly and downwardly and having an aperture therethrough, and pin adapted to be secured in the lower edge of th picture frame for engagement in said aperture.

6. A picture hanger comprising an elongated flat strip of material having a right angularly extending bracket at one end and an obliquely extending bracket at its other end, said brackets each having .an aperture therethrough, the strip having a transversely extending slot formed therethrough adjacent the first mentioned bracket, a screw-eye adapted to be secured in a supporting body and to extend through said slot with the eye portion alined with the aperture of the first bracket, a rod adapted to extend through the aperture of the first bracket and through the screw-eye, an arm extending outwardly from the upper end of the rod and terminating in a down turned finger, a screw-eye adapted to be secured to the back top portion of the picture and to have said finger engaged therethrough, and a pin member adapted tobe secured in the lower edge of the pictur and to engage in the aperture of the obliquely directed bracket with the lower edge of the picture resting upon the last named bracket.

CHARLES W. DEUTER. 

